Rack for displaying rugs.



H. L. GARDNER 61: W. L. CHASE RACK FOR DISPLAYING BUGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1913.

Patented July 22, 1913.

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TES PATENT QFFIOE.

HARRY L. GARDNER, OF CRANSTON, AND WALTER L. CHASE, OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 BUDDY-GARDNER COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE,

RHGDE ISLAND.

RACK FOR DISPLAYING BUGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 19, 1913. Serial No. 755,349.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Haney L. GARDNER and \Vanrnn L. CHASE, citizens of the United States, the former residing at the city of Cranston and the latter residing at East Providence, both in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Racks for Displaying Rugs, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates generally to an improvement in display racks, and particularly to a rack designed for the special dis play of carpets, rugs and the like by dealers for the inspection of their customers.

The objects of our invention are to pro vide a device of this character with an improved hoisting structure intermediate the upright and its rug-supporting-arm, in order to permit an increase of leverage in the operation of lifting heavy rugs and allow the weight to be brought relatively close to the axial center of the rack; means whereby compactness is had between similar members in a series of racks and to insure against a twlsting movement of the rug-arm, and means to hold the arm in a display position.

The invention in its preferred form of details will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which 2-- I ignre 1 is a broken view in side elevation, partly in section illustrating the complete rack. Fig. 2 is a broken plan illustrating a plurality of racks in position. Fig. 3 is sectional view on the line w w of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a sectional view on the line 7/ of Fig. 1.

Our improved rack comprises an upright 1 preferably in the form of an I-beam provided at the respective one s with pintles or stub shafts 2, to rotatably support the beam as will hereinafter appear. Secured upon the upper end of the beam is pulley hanger member from which in advance of the beam 1 depends a skeleton housing 4t in which are independently mounted spaced grooved pulleys 5 and (3.

The rack proper includes a supporting arm 7 of any ap iropriate length, preferably in the form of a 'f-beam, the head flange of which is provided adjacent each longitudinal edge with a series of spurs or pins 8 arranged in spaced relation. The arm is thus adapted to support two rugs or carpets through the medium of the spurs, said rugs hanging on opposite sides of the arm. A pulley bracket member has a skeleton housing 12 in which are independently mounted spaced grooved pulleys l3 and l t, and at one side of the housing the latter has an upright portion 9 which projects in parallel relation with the beam 1 and is secured to the inner end of the rug-arm 7, and at the other side of the housing the lat ter has two rearwardly-projecting extensions 10, 10 overlying the sides of the beam 1, and each extension is provided with an anti-friction roller 11 to bear against the inner surface of the forward flange of the said beam. The upright portion 9, of the movable bracket member, is spaced a sutlieient distance from the beam 1, in order to avoid contact with the housing 4 of the lined pulley hanger The extensions 10, 10 guide the bracket member and at the same time act to prevent a twisting movement of the rug-supporting-arm 7. One extension 10 of the bracket member is designed at a lower point than its opposite extension 10, in order to provide a clearance for the turning movement of the adj a: cent extension of a similarly-d-esigned bracket member on the next adjacentrack.

A vertically-armnged flat bar 15 has its upper part secured to the upright portion 9 of the movable bracket member, in advance of the pulley housing 12 of the latter, and said bar has a quarter turn twist in order that its lower part may be secured upon the head 17 of a block 16, and within a vertical channel or recess 29 formed in the latter. The block 16 has rearwardlvextending integral arms 18 adjacent the beam 1, and each arm terminates with an inturned flange 19 to bear against the inner surface of the forward flange of said beam, to prevent separation of said block therefrom.

An anti-friction roller 20 is mounted between the arms 18, of the guide block 16, and adapted to bear on the outer surface of the forward flange of the beam 1, said roller to facilitate the movement of the said block lengthwise the beam.

Each arm of the block 16 has an integ al depending opposed car 21, and between the cars is pivotally supported a gravity pawl or dog 22, the operative end 23 of which is designed to cooperate with a stud 2st projecting from the forward face of the I-beam. The stud 2a is adapted to support the rack prop-er in its extreme upper position, and through the medium of the pawl or dog 22 to fix the rack in what will naturally be its normal or full display position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The anti-friction-roller 20, of the guide block 16, is centrally and circun'iferentially reduced, as at 25, to permit the passage of said roller over the stud 2a without interference in the adjustment of the rack.

As previously stated, the movable pulley bracket member and the movable block are connected by the bar 15, and the rug-arm 7 is further connected to the said block 16 by a brace 26, which has its upper end removab-ly connected to the said arm at a point remote from the inner end of the lat-,

ter. A hook 27 is also secured to the guide block 16, said hook, brace terminal, and bar terminal being preferably arranged in superimposed relation on the head 17 of said block 16 and secured by a screw bolt 28; the head 17 being formed with the recess 29 to snugly receive the lower end of said bar, as more particularly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The rack proper is adjusted longitudinally of the beam 1 through the medium of a rope or cable 30, one end of which is secured to an eye 31 formed on the housing 12 of the fixed hanger 3, and from which point the cable extends downwardly to and around the pulley 13, upwardly and over the pulley 6, downwardly and aroundthe pulley 1%, upwardly and over the pulley 5, with its free end depending in reach of the operator so that the rack may be adjusted as desired, the hook 27 providing a means whereby the free terminal of the rope may be secured to hold the rack at a desired elevation.

It is found necessary, usually, to provide for supporting a plurality of racks, such as described, in adjacent relation for the display of a number of rugs or carpets, and as a means for providing for such arrangement with the improved rack, we secure upon the floor of the display room a flat beam 31 on which is supported a fiat plate 32 formed with a series of longitudinally arranged openings 33 for the reception of the lower bearing pintle 2 of the beam 1.

The overhead support is provided by bolting or otherwise securing an L-shaped plate 34 to a rafter 35, the horizontal section of the angle plate being formed with a series of openings 36, respectively alined with the openings 33 in the lower plate, and adapted to receive the upper pintles 2 of the beam 1.

By this means the beam is supported for rotation so that the rack together with the beam may be swung to one side or the other to provide for the display of the carpets or rugs on adjacent racks.

The outer end of each display-arm 1 is provided with a contacting roller 37, to keep the front faces of the rugs from touching each other and thereby to avoid injury to such rugs or carpets.

The compact arrangement of the hoisting means, as described, permits of the pivot centers of the racks to be spaced close together, so that a large number of racks may be positioned to support a large number of rugs or carpets on their display-arms.

From the above description it will be obvious that the improved rack is conveniently adapted for the support of rugs or carpets, and may through the medium of the cable 30 be readily lowered to any desired position for display purposes, or for the initial securing of the rugs in place. The rack, when fully elevated, is fixed in such position through the cooperation of the gravity dog with the stud 24, said dog being manually operated when it is desired to lower the rack.

lVhat we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of a rug retaining T- shaped arm, a pivotal I-shaped upright having a stud secured in its front face, a hanger fixed to the upright and having a plurality of independent sheaves, a hanger carried by the arm and having a plurality of independent sheaves below and parallel to the sheaves of the said first mentioned hanger, said second hanger having integral horizontal ex tensions overlying the sides of the upright and located one above the other, a cable having one end secured to the said first mentioned hanger and passing over the sheaves of both hangers in order to increase the leverage in raising and lowering of heavy rugs, a fork-shaped movable block embracing the front flange of the upright, a bar connection from the movable hanger to said block, a brace connect-ion from the outer part of the arm to said block, and the latter carrying a gravity operated pawl to cooperate with the stud of the upright in holding the arm in a display position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY L. GARDNER. XVALTER L. CHASE.

Witnesses C. T. HANNIGAN, Pn'rrn C. CANNON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latentsl Washington, D. C. 

